Schoolies offered free sexual health testing amid social media misinformation fears
Gold Coast Health has offered free STI testing to Schoolies as porn stars plan to teach teenagers “real life” sexual education across Surfers Paradise.
Gold Coast Health has offered free STI testing and education to Schoolies as porn stars plan to teach teenagers “real life” sex ed across Surfers Paradise.
Gold Coast Health Sexual Health clinical nurse Jessica Markey said it was vital for young people to receive accurate information.
“There’s a lot of misinformation on social media,” she said.
“Coming and talking to professionals and realising that it’s not so scary getting tested along with how you can prevent STI’s is really important.”
In its third year, the pop-up service in the Schoolies precinct comes as two well-known sex workers Annie Knight and Lily Phillips say they‘re bringing “real life” sexual education to Schoolies on the Gold Coast – teaching teenagers how to perform oral sex and pleasure women.
The duo told this masthead, while they’ll be making public appearances across Surfers Paradise in the next week, the only content they will film will be with fellow adult creators in a “sex education” segment aimed at anyone 18 and above to then purchase on their OnlyFans accounts.
Ms Markey said they encouraged Schoolies to discuss safe sex with clinical professionals.
“We’ve had quite a few visitors, and we are also at the Southport Health Precinct Monday to Friday for free testing,” she said.
The clinical nurse said it was vital for anyone sexually active to get tested.
“Chlamydia is the most common STI and it often has no signs or symptoms – so it’s really important to get tested,” Ms Markey said.
“One in six people will be diagnosed with an STI in their lifetime, so it is really important to have these conversations with young people.”
Schoolies STI testing data across the previous two years indicates more people are taking part in the incentive.
In 2023, 18 teens were screened with 17 per cent coming back with a positive STI result, whereas in 2024 33 Schoolies were tested with 6 per cent returning a positive result.
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Originally published as Schoolies offered free sexual health testing amid social media misinformation fears
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